War memorial vandals will face tougher consequences

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, out of state at a Democratic Governors Association function, announced Thursday that he has signed legislation enhancing penalties against those of desecrating, stealing or selling war and veterans’ memorials.  

“Over the past decade, Connecticut has lost nearly 70 service members in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, joining the countless number of heroes who lost their lives heroically defending our nation and protecting the freedoms we hold dear,” Malloy said.  “The fact that anyone would knowingly destroy a monument honoring our war heroes is nauseating and revolting.  Let this new law serve as a reminder and a deterrent for those who don’t understand the true value of what these memorials mean for our country.”

 The legislation was approved after a series of incidents in Derby, Shelton and Ansonia, in which the commemoriative metal plaques wewre stolen and presumably sold for scrape. The law, took effect with the governor’s signature, classifies the criminal acts as Class D felonies punishable with $5,000 fines.